More InformationFrom river otters and minks to bobcats, pikas, and flying squirrels, California boasts a diverse and intriguing fauna. But many of these animals can be secretive, shy, and nocturnal and observing them in the wild can be difficult. During the past two decades, the first edition of this popular guide introduced thousands to California's mammals by describing techniques for recognizing their presence, and when possible, methods for watching them in their natural habitats. Mammals of California is now completely revised and updated throughout, making it an ideal companion in the field or classroom.

* Features an expanded and updated section on diseases harbored by wild mammals that can affect humans--including Lyme disease and Hanta virus

CONTENTS:AcknowledgmentsMaps

MAMMAL ECOLOGYIntroductionStudying MammalsOrigins of MammalsReproduction Social GroupsPopulation FluctuationsThermoregulationSeasonal DormancySensesMigration and MovementsMammals and California SocietyFood of MammalsIdentification of Mammals

WHAT THE EXPERTS ARE SAYING:"Much information has accumulated about California mammals in the past decade, making a second edition of Mammals of California both timely and valuable. The volume serves an important and singular niche, given the growth in knowledge about the critters presented, as well as the increasingly negative impact habitat change is having on them. The text will be readily understandable by the amateur yet not condescending to the professional."--James Patton, Professor of Zoology and Curator of Mammals, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:E.W. Jameson, Jr., is Professor Emeritus of Zoology at the University of California, Davis, and author of Vertebrate Reproduction (1988) and Patterns of Vertebrate Biology (1981).

Hans J. Peeters is Professor Emeritus of Biology and Zoology at Chabot College. His illustrations have appeared in Birds of North America (1997) as well as in several other bird guides, and he is author and illustrator of the forthcoming title, Raptors of California (2005).